H3_W4_002

Date: 2022

Location: Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya

Did you know?

Unlike their spotted counterparts, Striped Hyenas are mostly scavengers. They may hunt small prey very rarely. Striped Hyenas were long thought to be solitary animals except when part of a courting pair or if a female has had pups. However, research done over decades in Africa and Asia reveals that Striped Hyenas have social structures in place and choose to live as part of a pack.

About the picture

While Spotted Hyenas are easily found in Kenya, coming across this much rarer Striped Hyena in Africa was a total surprise. I photographed this in Ol Pejeta Conservancy in 2022. The hyena seemed to be old and was probably blind or had impaired vision in one eye. It was eating some scraps of meat that it had found under a tree

Fun Fact

Despite their dog-like appearance, all species of hyenas are more closely related to mongooses than dogs.